Maybe the Dogs Have Trained Us, Not the Other Way Around

Have you ever wondered how dogs became domesticated? No? Really? You are not the slightest bit curious how humans managed to tame wild dogs and wolves and make them our companions and helpers? I mean, think about it, wild animals have claw and sharp teeth and can run faster than we can. But yet, we got to be in charge of them.

Well, as it turns out, maybe we weren’t really in charge. Wolves may have trained us to feed them and be nice to them. Pretty tricky (and completely follows my ongoing theory about animals taking over the world). Check out this great interview with Brian Hare, evolutionary antropologist, to see how people and dogs evolved and survived and ended up together.

Dogs have the same communication skills that infants do to learn language and culture. They are able to learn words by inference. This ability to connect is one reason humans and dogs may have forged the relationship we have today. Originally, wolves may have followed people in hopes of gleaning food left behind. By, forging a relationship with people, wolves ensured their survival and people gained “hunting companions and home alarm systems.”

Essentially, by being friendly, wolves and wild dogs encouraged us to do the same. The result has been that dogs became man’s best friend!

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